Love and Friendship, They're Just Extensions of Each Other
by Firefox1000
Summary: The catastrophe of Pein's attacks and the war never happened and life in Konoha continued as normal. Over the years Naruto and Hinata naturally had opportunities to become closer, assisted somewhat by their growing maturity. An alternative to the confession of love in a life and death situation. They still help each other get stronger, only now in a different way. NaruHina.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** So in my Naruto universe, all the catastrophies of Pein's attacks and the war never happened, and life in the hidden leaf village continued as normal. Over the years, Naruto and Hinata naturally and organically had opportunities to become closer friends, assisted somewhat by their growing maturity (which does come somewhat with age!).

This is not to say that I didn't like the catastrophic events in the anime, I loved them. But I wanted to explore what it might be like for Naruto and Hinata if they had the opportunity to naturally and gradually grow closer, rather than a confession of love in a life or death battle followed by a war that distracted them both from said confession. Hope you guys enjoy :) it's my second ever fanfiction so please review to let me know what you think!

(By the way, you may notice that I start off with them using suffixes for each other's names, and then dropped the suffixes later. I had planned to go back and fix that but in the end I couldn't be bothered. Doesn't really take away from the story anyway).

 **Chapter 1:**

Naruto ran down the streets of Konoha at break-neck ninja speed. Nothing else got him going in the morning than the prospect of a bowl of Ichiraku's ramen. Normally he didn't have enough money to buy it for breakfast, but seeing as he'd just come back from a mission the day before, he figured he should put Gama-chan's extra weight to good use! "Ramen, raaamen, ramen in the morning!" Naruto was so caught up in singing to himself that he didn't notice a certain raven-haired kunoichi in his path. Hinata and Naruto collided like, well, like a speeding Naruto hitting a stationary object; only that object happened to be Hinata.

"Ouuch" Naruto groaned while rubbing his forehead. It took him a few seconds to realise that there was someone beside him moaning similarly. His head spun to focus on a wincing Hinata, also rubbing her forehead.

"Ahah, would have been better if we were wearing forehead protectors today, huh Naruto-san?"

"Ahh! I'm so sorry Hinata-chan!" cried Naruto

Hinata tried to brush off Naruto's profuse apologies with light humour, all the while fighting down a blush in response to his use of the honorific "Hinata-chan".

"So where were you rushing off to in such a hurry?" Asked Hinata, trying to change the subject.

With that, Naruto's face lit up again with his customary wide smile. "Ahaha...well you see, I have extra money this week from my mission, so I was hoping to stop by Ichiraku's today for a ramen breakfast."

Hinata stared at Naruto for a second, then started giggling

Naruto looked at her curiously. "Whats up Hinata-chan? Whats so funny?"

Hinata spoke between her giggles "Only you would be running like an Anbu on an S-rank mission for ramen in the morning."

Naruto stared at her for a moment then started chuckling too. "Hahaha, I guess you're right." He scratched the back of his head bashfully.

"Say, do you want to come along?" Naruto asked with a smile, once their laughter died down.

Hinata gave Naruto a sidelong glance then smiled "I'm not sure if ramen is something I would ever eat in the morning, but I've already had breakfast, so I would be happy to come along for the company."

"Atta girl" Naruto grinned. He locked his hands behind his head as they began walking together

"It'll start like that, and then you'll see, soon I'll have you eating ramen in the morning too." Naruto's grin turned teasing.

Hinata resisted the urge to blush again. She'd gotten better and better at fighting down that red on her cheeks that only Naruto could summon. The damn boy was oblivious to it too, or so he made it seem...

"Ne, Hinata-chan, have you got any plans for today?"

Hinata jumped out of her musings to reply "Ah, no actually. I thought I'd take the day off to rest after my misson but I haven't decided yet what I should do."

Naruto's grin died down a little "Ah, I see. Well, I guess that puts training out of the equation."

Hinata was able to put two and two together. "Ah, well, when I say r-rest, that doesn't mean n-no training, exactly." Hinata cursed her faint stutter; this was a part of herself she had yet to fully discipline. Her stutters still seemed to come out a bit when she was startled or off-balance, especially around Naruto.

"Oh really?" replied Naruto. "As in, you see training as rest? Cool, guess that's one thing we have in common!" Naruto grinned his foxish grin. "Ne, Hinata-chan, would you like to train with me today?"

Hinata returned his grin with one of her own. "Of course, Naruto-san. I always enjoy our training sessions."

Naruto's smile turned self-satisfied. "Well, of course, it's not every day that the best Shinobi and Kunoichi in the village come together for a fight."

Hinata struggled to control her blush in response to his words. She didn't know if she should scold him for being big-headed or thank him for his compliment of her!

Their arrival at the ramen stand made both those options void as Naruto rushed forward to order and eat. "Nothing will get through to him for the next half-hour while he feasts" thought Hinata with a smile.

An hour later saw Hinata and Naruto standing in one of the training fields in Konoha. Hinata's hair waved in the wind as she took her Hyuuga fighting stance. Naruto readied his own stance with a focus that Hinata had become accustomed to. They circled each other slowly, each one studying the other for the smallest of openings, weaknesses; anything they could exploit. But months of training together meant they had learnt to impressively guard themselves. Neither of the two was giving an inch, so Naruto decided to begin. He suddenly sprung forward with a flurry of tai-jutsu attacks. Hinata responded with blocks and blows of her own, but neither seemed able to gain ground on the other. They suddenly sprang back from each other and settled into their slow circling again, both studying the other for weaknesses once more. A bystander watching might almost mistake their combat for a graceful dance; so perfectly aligned they were to each other's movements. But this was no dance, this was combat, and Naruto was determined to win. His eyes widened slightly as he saw his chance. In a flash, he shun-shinned (teleported) himself to appear above Hinata and drop down with a kick towards her head. Hinata, surprised by his new assault, hastily whirled into a Hakkeshō Kaiten (Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation), effectively blocking his attack and throwing him backwards. Naruto, quick to recover, spun mid-air and threw a kunai before landing gracefully. Hinata quickly brought up her own kunai to parry his, and was quick to notice the second kunai he had hidden in the shadow of the first. Not so quick to notice the exploding tag attached to it, however. She jumped away quickly as the 'practice' tag exploded into a cloud of black dust, mimicing the explosion of a real exploding tag. Hinata's eyes adjusted easily to the darkness, her Byakugan already activated. However, she couldn't see Naruto anywhere...There! Hinata's eyes registered a flicker out of the corner of her eye and she spun to aim her kunai at her attacker. Naruto and Hinata froze in place, panting heavily, each holding their blunted kunai at the throat of the other.

"Stale-mate again." Naruto said between short, quick breaths, he was smiling.

Hinata could only muster enough energy to return his smile, breathing as heavily as he was.

A few moments later, Hinata and Naruto were collapsed under a tree, next to the only pond in the clearing. They had recovered their energy long ago, but neither seemed to want to move out of their lazy recline. Naruto stared up at the sunlight filtering through the tree leaves. Hinata's eyes traced the the web of light reflected in the large pond. It was a peaceful moment. Hinata almost felt bad when she had to break the silence with her shuffling. Shifting to the side, she removed her heavy jacket. Naruto's eyes turned to her lazily.

"Too warm?" He asked with a half smile.

"Well, it's quite sunny today, and our fight was more strenuous than usual."

Naruto's gaze drifted lazily to a point behind her. His grin widened.

"You still warm?"

Hinata looked at him curiously. "Yes. I don't think I'll cool down properly until I shower at home...what about you?"

Naruto's grin took on a mischievous look. "Hmm, I'm pretty warm myself. Could also use a cold shower."

He slowly stood up and removed his jacket, moving towards the exit of the clearing. Suddenly, Hinata felt something wasn't quite right. But she didn't have time to ponder what, as Naruto quickly bent down to splash a handful of water in her direction. Hinata sputtered in shock. Naruto's mischievous grin was now full blast.

"Feel better?" He asked with a cackle.

Hinata's eyes narrowed. Oh, he was so getting paid back for this one. She quickly hid her intentions behind a mask of confusion and pretended to sneeze.

Naruto's grin changed to one of concern as he rushed over.

"Oh no, this isn't going to make you catch a cold is it?" He bent down to examine her forehead's temperature. That was when Hinata decided to strike. In one swift movement she shoved him backwards into the pond, with a massive splash. Naruto sat up in the shallow pond and stared at Hinata's triumphant expression, before his expression turned into one that promised recompense. Hinata, picking up the danger signs, began a mad dash for the exit of the clearing, but Naruto's ninja speed cut her off before she could take two steps. In a single motion he dragged them both into the cold shallows. They fell with a massive splash. Much giggling and laughing ensued as they engaged in a water fight of epic proportions. Towards the end they even started using jutsu. Hinata blocked and counter-attacked naruto's splash with her Hakkeshō Kaiten, heavily dousing Naruto, who immediately set a number of clones to attacking her with splashes from all sides. The pond became a battle ground of sorts, and it continued as such until both of them dissolved into a fit of giggles over the absurd escalation of their water fight.

Hinata spoke between gasps of laughter "What *gasp* just happened?"

Naruto, on his knees in the water, chuckled good-naturedly "We just cooled down." His grin was now self-satisfied.

Hinata shook her head at him. "I swear, I'll be watching my words around you from now on." She laughed again.

Naruto grinned good-naturedly. "Yea, but it was fun wasn't it?"

Hinata grinned back "Yea, it was."

Suddenly, Naruto blushed and looked the other way.

Hinata started in alarm. Naruto never blushed around her.

"Whats wrong Naruto?"

He pointed weakly at her chest "Ah, um, y-you should probably do something about that."

Alarm bells now pealed in Hinata's mind. Naruto certainly never stuttered around her. She glanced down at her chest and with mortification saw how tightly her shirt now clung to her figure. It wasn't see-through thank God but it was certainly more tight-fitting than she would ever be comfortable with. With a gasp she crossed her arms across her chest. A few seconds later she heard Naruto slowly approach her. Her gaze turned the other way in shame, she wondered what he would do. She looked up in shock when she felt him place her jacket over her shoulders. Naruto smiled at her boyishly.

"There you go. Better now?"

Hinata smiled weakly in gratitude, her cheeks flaming. She couldn't help but wonder what her other male shinobi friends would have done. She certainly couldn't imagine any of them acting as gallantly. Most of them would make at least one innappropriate comment. She normally hid her large chest well under her jacket and baggy shirt.

But Naruto seemed to take it all in stride. "So, shall we head back to town? If anyone asks what happened, we could always say we were practicing our water jutsu." Naruto grinned reassuringly at Hinata.

Slipping her jacket firmly back on, Hinata agreed. "Good idea. We should probably go dry off...before one of us actually catches a cold."

Naruto grinned toothily at her as they began walking. "That was a good stunt, by the way. Got me good."

Hinata couldn't help a small blush at the praise. She smiled back in reply.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Hinata was walking along the quieter streets of Konoha, towards her favourite book shop, when the silence was broken by a loud wail. Hinata's head snapped up. It sounded like a child crying. Running towards the sound, she stumbled upon a scene that warmed her heart. Naruto, having also heard the crying, was already crouched beside the child, asking her what was wrong. He looked up in surprise when he heard Hinata's footsteps approaching.

"Oh, Hinata-chan. Didn't expect to see you here."

"I often come here to visit a book shop I like." Hinata replied with a small smile

The attention of the two youth switched back to the little girl in front of them.

"Why are you crying? Are your parents around?" Naruto asked gently

"N-no" the little girl gasped between sobs

"Did you lose your parents?" Asked Hinata, crouching beside Naruto and the child.

"N-no!" The little girl sobbed again.

Naruto smiled warmly. "Don't worry, we're here to help. Whats your name?"

"M-Melody" the girl stuttered, finally quietening down her sobs.

"What are you doing here alone Melody?" Hinata asked with a gentle smile

The girl's sobs seemed to quieten completely under the warm gaze of the two youth. Putting on a brave face, she said "I was following my big brother. He always goes off and plays without me. He says I can't come because I'm a _girl."_ Hinata and Naruto glanced at each other, Hinata with a small amused smile, before they turned their attention back to Melody.

"So today, I decided to follow him. But he was faster than I thought he would be, so I lost him, and now I'm lost." And with her last few words, Melody dissolved into a fit of little sobs once more.

"Hey, there there, no need to cry." Said Naruto comfortingly

Hinata reached forward and brought the little girl into a hug.

"It's ok, we're here now. We can help you get home." She said while patting the girl's back.

The little girl's sobs got louder. "Y-yea, but I'll s-still have noone to play with."

Naruto and Hinata looked at each other. The same idea played in both their eyes. Naruto pointed to his back, then gestured toward the Hokage rock face. Hinata nodded in agreement.

"Hey, its alright Melody. We can play with you."

Melody leaned back and looked hesitantly up at Hinata. "Y-you will?"

Naruto leaned forward between them with a smile. "Of course we will! Say, do you want a piggy back ride?"

The little girl's face lit up. "Yea!"

And with that she climbed onto Naruto's back and the two ninja jumped onto the rooftops. Melody began giggling straight away. The two ninja smiled at each other as they ran. Hinata's heart warmed tenderly at the sight of Naruto piggy-backing Melody. " _He'd make a good father..."_ She thought absently. Realising where her thoughts were going, Hinata's cheeks exploded into colour. She looked away to hide her embarrassment over what she was thinking. Lucky for her, Naruto and Melody were caught up in laughing together as Naruto executed a few big leaps into the air. 10 minutes later they reached the Hokage Rock Face, the central monument of their village. Naruto took one quick look at the stairs running along its side before whooping loudly and leaping up three sets of them. Hinata followed quickly behind, grinning at Naruto's enthusiasm. Melody was having the time of her life, squeeling happily like a kid on an amusement ride. When they reached the top, Melody went silent for a second, before exclaiming with awe "Woooow. It's beaaauutiful." Naruto smiled up happily at her.

"It is, isn't it? I used to come here all the time when I was your age. It was my secret hiding place."

"Woah" Melody exclaimed again. "Thats so cool!"

Hinata watched as Naruto's smile become melancholy. "Yea, I didn't always come here for cool reasons though." He gently placed Melody down on the ground. "When i was little, I didn't have any friends. I would always get bullied, too. Coming here was my way of getting away from it all, and relaxing my mind."

Melody stared up at him with wide eyes.

"It can be your special spot too, if you like." Naruto said with a smile.

Melody nodded her head vigorously. "I'll take good care of it." She said seriously.

Naruto ruffled her hair affectionately. "Atta girl". He said with a smile. "Don't let anyone bring you down. There are always friends out there waiting to be made. You just gotta keep trying. I did, and now I have plenty of friends to play with." Naruto shot a cheeky look in Hinata's direction. Hinata smiled affectionately, remembering yesterday's water fight.

Melody's eyes widened further. "Yes sir!" She said with new-found respect.

Following Naruto's gaze she looked at Hinata. "Are you his friend now?" She asked seriously.

Hinata nodded with a gentle smile. "I consider Naruto to be one of my most precious friends." She answered seriously. Naruto's eyes widened. Then a smile spread over his face. "I consider you a precious friend too..." He whispered quietly. Melody stared back and forth between them, noting their warm-hearted gaze toward each other.

"Wait a second. HOW special exactly? Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" She asked suddenly. The two jumped in surprise.

"Wha-uh, well" Naruto seemed to have lost his capacity for words.

"N-no" Hinata stuttered shakily.

Melody looked between the two of them, unconvinced. "Well." She said matter of factly. "I think you should be."

The shinobi and kunoichi looked at each other with wide eyes. Somehow Hinata had never pictured their moment of truth happening quite like this.

"U-uh, I mean, do you...want to?" Naruto asked lamely

"I-I wouldn't mind..." Hinata trailed off, with flaming cheeks.

"Oh, really? I mean, I wouldn't mind either, but..." Naruto suddenly stared at her in shock. "Are you saying you're ok with being my girlfriend?"

Hinata stared back with eyes as wide as his. "A-are you saying y-you accept?"

Both shinobi and kunoichi didn't know what to say.

Melody broke the silence. "I think this means you're a couple now."

Naruto and Hinata looked down at the smug little girl, and Naruto laughed. Melody giggled too as Naruto ruffled her hair. And the three of them were left laughing on the mountain-top, Hinata's heart feeling like it would burst from her chest. Naruto's eyes sparkling with mirth and joy.

After safely transporting Melody home, and making promises to stop by to see her again, both kunoichi and shinobi walked awkwardly beside each other toward the town centre.

Naruto broke the silence. "Did you really mean what you said, back there?"

Hinata summoned up all her courage. "O-Of course I did. I wouldn't l-lie about something t-this important." Damn that stutter that always came out at moments like this!

Naruto chuckled warmly, causing Hinata to turn to him in surprise. "I know you wouldn't. I guess it was just reassuring to hear it again out loud."

Hinata smiled shakily in understanding.

Naruto continued speaking, "It's like, I mean, I'd only recently realised it myself. That I, you know..." Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. "Ahah, I'm not very good at this am I? It was so easy with Sakura..."

Seeing Hinata's expression, he realised the mistake in his words.

"A-Ah not that Sakura and I ever got together or anything! She always rejected me." Naruto's expression turned thoughtful. "But somehow, I always found it easy to approach her about stuff like this, and get back up after she rejected me. But with you, it's so much harder...I think it's because this relationship is more...real, you know? Like, more important somehow..."

Naruto looked the other way in embarrassment, before he could see Hinata's response. After a few minutes of silence, he chanced a quick glance in her direction and froze. Hinata's face radiated joy. He'd always admired her smiles before, but this...it was like the sun had just come up on her face. Naruto didn't care how cheesy that sounded; no words could better describe what he saw.

Hinata's joy was infectious. Soon Naruto found himself grinning like an idiot too. The two ninja walked side by side in silence the rest of the way to town. Neither was quite confident enough yet to hold the other's hand, or yet ready to explore the implications of their new relationship. It seemed that for tonight, walking beside each other, and sharing in each other's company was enough.


	3. Chapter 3

Hinata woke at sunrise. She had always enjoyed beginning her day like this. It was silent at this time of day; peaceful. It would be another half hour before the birds started chirping their morning melodies, and a few hours more before most of Konoha's inhabitants would rise. It was a time of day she reserved especially for herself. Stepping out of bed, she stretched lazily, before performing a few jumps up and down on the spot. Having shaken out her muscles, she then executed a perfect bend forward, her head coming to rest between her ankles. Gently progressing out of this position, she then bent one leg up and balanced with her arms to either side, before slowly pushing her leg behind herself and moving her upper body horizontal, arms still outstretched. She progressed through several other poses, each time focusing on the ebb and flow of chakra inside her. She had learnt these exercises, and many others like them from her grandfather, before he passed away. Her grandfather had shared these techniques with her as a way of further strengthening chakra control, as well as increasing mental relaxation. Hinata smiled fondly in remembrance of him. He had always held a soft spot for her and she had always looked forward to their study sessions, when he would instruct her in the ways of the Hyuuga; her family's traditions, history and social structure. More often than not, however, he had replaced these lessons with contemporary thoughts and approaches that he himself had invented or come across. "Appreciating our heritage is important; but many members of our family cling too hard to ancient ways. A little change and discovery is healthy for the soul" he had said one day with a twinkle in his eye. Her father had been furious when he'd found out. She remembered that day clearly in her mind. She had just come home from the academy when she overheard her father speaking furiously in the other room. Pausing briefly, she had turned to press her ear against the door and heard her grandfather speaking sternly back. "I didn't raise you to be this narrow-minded, boy." She'd heard him grumble.

"Narrow minded?! I just found out that those lessons I had trusted you with have been used for pointless garbage instead of education. I had expected better from you, father."

"Watch your tongue, boy." her grandfather had replied sternly. "You don't know the first thing about the techniques and concepts I have been teaching her. I would think that as head of the family you would be open to strengthening our clan's culture with new ideas and skills."

"Strengthening?" Hinata heard her father laugh condescendingly. "What more is there to strengthen in a clan such as ours? We are the pride and glory of our village. More especially so since the Uchiha clan degenerated a few years ago. I see no need for new things. If anything, it could corrupt the minds of people in our clan; cause them to think that time-honoured traditions need no longer be followed."

"Not all of our traditions are worthy of following." Her grandfather had said quietly.

A long silence followed.

"Get out of my sight." Hinata heard her father say harshly. "I will not have you belittle our clan's entire way of life in front of me. We're finished here. I will transfer Hinata to a new teacher starting tomorrow."

Hinata's eyes had widened, before she'd quickly moved down the hallway to avoid discovery.

She smiled sadly in remembrance. It had been a big loss for her, no longer spending those hours of her day with him, but her grandfather hadn't given up so easily. She remembered waking up one night as a child to her grandfather standing over her bed. "Well child, what are you waiting for? We still have lessons to complete." He had whispered matter of factly. Grinning with enthusiasm she had quickly followed him outside, past the back garden, and through a small hidden door in a corner of the Hyuuga compound. Coming out the other side, she had followed her grandfather in bewilderment as he expertly pushed through the forrest behind their compound toward a clearing hidden in the middle. This became the place where he would teach her, every so often. Hinata still carried many of his lessons in her heart, long after he had passed away.

Moving gently out of her last pose, Hinata stepped out into the hallway and moved towards the back door. Emerging in her house's back garden, she filled a watering can and began to tend the vegetable patch she had been cultivating the past few months. Already, she could see fresh saplings poking their heads out of the dirt. The sight filled her with much satisfaction. Before long, Hinata became absorbed in her gardening, causing time to pass quickly. Moving methodically, she gently removed every weed she could find, as well as checking the health of the soil and spreading pesticide. Whipping out her notebook, she took detailed notes on the progress of each plant. So engrossed was she in her work that she didn't notice a certain blonde shinobi watching her from the wall of the Hyuuga enclosure. "Wow Hinata-chan, I didn't know you were into gardening!"

Hinata jumped with a squeek of surprise. "N-Naruto-san. I-I didn't see you there."

"Ahah...I thought about using the front door but I figured this way was quicker." Naruto grinned sheepishly.

Hinata smiled kindly. "That's fine. I was just surprised is all."

Naruto jumped down from the wall. "What plants have you got growing here?" he asked with interest as he walked up to her garden.

"O-oh, um, not much. Just a few heads of cabbage, some carrots, tomato and mint."

"Really? Cool!" Naruto bent over to examine a few of the plants more closely. "How long have you been growing them for? Seems like some of them have started to grow."

"Only a few months." Hinata said with a smile. "You seem really interested in this. Have you ever done gardening, Naruto-san?"

Naruto stood up and looked at her bashfully. "Actually, plant growing is a hobby of mine too. I only live in an apartment so growing a garden is out of the question, but I have a few pot plants I take care of."

Hinata stared at Naruto in surprise. The most energetic boy she knew, renowned prankster and boisterous blonde of Konoha had... _plant growing_ as a hobby?

Naruto seemed to sense what she was thinking. "Ahaha, it doesn't fit my personality, I know." He scratched the back of his head self-consciously "But I'm actually pretty into it. I water Mr. Ukki every day, and my other plants every other day."

"Mr. Ukki?" Hinata asked

Naruto became more bashful than before. "Thats, uh, the name I gave one of my plants" he chuckled sheepishly.

Hinata started giggling helplessly. Naming plants? Now that was something she could see Naruto doing.

Her giggling was cut short when she noticed a Hyuuga guard rushing towards them. "Lady Hinata" greeted the guard, bowing formally. "A disruption was sensed in the wards around this part of the wall. Is everything alright?"

Hinata glanced towards Naruto in concern. He looked uncomfortable.

"Yes. Everything is fine Hideki. Naruto is just paying me a visit."

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Yea, sorry about that. I didn't know the Hyuuga used sensory wards. I should have known."

Hideki stared at Naruto, eyes dripping disdain. "Yes. Please use the front door next time." He said icily, before walking away.

Hinata stared after Hideki in confusion. She had grown accustomed to the fastidious attention of the guards. However, this was the first time she'd seen Hideki show dislike toward one of her friends. She didn't know what to make of it.

Looking back at Naruto, she noticed a faint shadow in his eyes.

"Naruto-san..."

Naruto's eyes jumped to meet hers. The shadow dissappeared.

"Yes, Hinata-chan?" He replied cheerily.

"What..." Hinata didn't know how to phrase her question. Naruto picked up on her concern.

"Don't worry about it, Hinata-chan. It's not the first time I've pissed off a Hyuuga." He remarked jokingly.

Hinata's mind flashed to Naruto's match with Neji all those years ago.

"I know" she smiled gently. "But its not so much Hideki's behaviour that bothers me, but the reason why he did it." Over the years, Hinata's sharp Hyuuga eyes had noted many instances like the one she'd just witnessed. Somehow, she finally felt brave enough to ask.

Naruto's eyes clouded over once more. He looked down before slowly taking a breath and raising his gaze to hers. It seemed as though he'd come to a decision. "Well...there is a reason."

Hinata waited patiently.

"I-it's..." Naruto wavered slightly. "You remember when I told you a few years ago about the Nine Tailed Fox?"

Hinata's eyes widened in understanding. "They fear what you hold inside you."

Naruto smiled humourlessly. "More like they think I am the Fox itself, and they despise me for it."

Hinata's shock turned to outrage.

"The ignorant fools." The ice in her voice surprised even herself.

Naruto looked at her and her heart clenched. She couldn't stand the vulnerability on his face.

"How could they disrespect the Fourth Hokage's memory like this? You should have been hailed as the hero of our village, after the Fourth Hokage himself. Without your body becoming a vessel, the Nine Tailed Fox would have destroyed the entire village."

Naruto smiled in gratitude. He then lifted her hands into his own and looked her seriously in the eyes. Hinata had to restrain herself from blushing. The intensity of his gaze unnerved her.

"You may be right." He replied quietly. "But it doesn't change the fact that the Nine Tailed Fox is inside me. At the moment, many people in this village still see me as an embodiment of the Fox itself. If even a fraction of you feels the same, I want you to tell me now, before we let this go any further. I would never impose on you a life of uncertainty or fear."

Hinata stared back at Naruto unflinchingly. There was no way she could waver on something as important as this. "Naruto, do you honestly have no idea how long I've loved you?" Hinata felt her eyes fill with tears as she spoke. "You couldn't begin to understand everything you've done for me; how much I've looked up to you over the years and gained inspiration from your courage. I would sooner defect from my clan than allow you to think, for even a moment, that I think of you as the Nine Tailed Fox."

Naruto's eyes widened in astonishment and awe. Years of pent-up feeling now flowed out of Hinata in waves. "Do you remember the chuunin exams, all those years ago? When I was fighting Neji all I could think was: 'Naruto didn't give up, so neither will I'. I've never met someone so determined to carry out their ideals. Against all opposition, you always found the strength to forge new paths. You are Naruto. And Naruto is all I see; the bravest, silliest, warmest, most determined ninja I have ever met."

The tears had long since begun to flow down her cheeks. Her eyes burned with newly-revealed emotion. Naruto could only stare in shock. Seconds passed, brilliant and vivid. The air seemed to still as the eyes of these two bright souls locked in a moment of deep feeling, understanding and gratitude.

The moment ceased as Naruto dragged Hinata into the biggest bear hug she had ever received. She found herself giggling slightly at his enthusiasm. "And you are Hinata. The kindest, sweetest, bravest Kunoichi I have ever had the priviledge to know."

Hinata had thought it impossible to feel any more love for Naruto than she did at that moment, but his words sent new waves of warmth into her heart. She knew no matter how long she lived she could never repay the blessing of Naruto's friendship. She was just finally glad to have told him so.

Naruto knew deep in his heart he had always appreciated Hinata; her friendship; her loyal support and her determination to improve her skills as a shinobi. They had also served as sources of inspiration for him. And now he knew. As he had grown up facing the hostility of villagers who couldn't see him for who he truly was, Hinata had seen the real him, and been inspired by it.

Pushing back to look at Hinata once again, Naruto couldn't help another ear-splitting smile, or his next question. "Hey Hinata-chan, I was wondering, could I help out with your garden once in a while? I've never had the chance to look after more than pot plants, so I'd enjoy the experience. If you want my help, that is."

Hinata returned Naruto's grin, ear to ear. "Of course. I would love your help, Naruto-san."

"Great! Then it's settled. I'll come over this time next week?"

"Sounds perfect." Hinata eagerly looked forward to spending that time with him.

Naruto's expression suddenly turned preoccupied. "Say, Hinata-chan. What time is it?"

Startled by the change in topic, Hinata shuffled through her pockets for her watch. "A-about 11:00am."

"Ah, drats, I'm late. Tsunade-baa-chan wanted me at her office today to discuss some new mission. I've gotta run."

"That's ok, I was finishing up here anyway. You should hurry. Tsunade-sama doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Naruto grinned wickedly in response. "Oh trust me, I know."

Turning around, he swiftly jumped onto the boundary wall. "See you around Hinata-chan." Naruto turned with a last grin before speeding across the rooftops toward Tsunade's office.


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto walked boldly through the Hokage's front door, forgoing the expected pause of respect by the entrance. "What's on the mission list today Baa-chan?"

Tsunade glanced up from her papers in annoyance. "Is knocking a dead reflex to you? Show some respect for your Hokage, brat."

Naruto responded with a cheeky grin. "Ah, I know you'll knock some sense into me one day Baa-chan. So, where do you need me?"

The annoyance mark on Tsunade's forehead got bigger but she responded all the same.

"We need a shinobi in the western part of the fire country for a special stealth mission. Now, I know stealth isn't one of your fortès Naruto, but its a pretty straightforward assignment, you should have no trouble with it. The difficult part would be handling conflict if it arises. Which is why I picked you for this mission."

Naruto looked slightly thoughtful "A stealth mission, huh? What's the objective?"

"Villagers in that area have reported suspicious activity amongst the new visitors. Word on the street is, some of the new arrivals are ninja. But instead of declaring their village and requesting permission to enter fire country, they've slipped in disguised as wandering traders. I need you to get in there and find out what they're up to."

"What do we know about the enemy?" Naruto was all business as he began thinking through the new assignment.

"We know little about the enemy save that they are less than jonin rank. We wouldn't have gotten word of them so early if they were as careful as jonin. However, there is always the risk they WANTED to be found. In which case, you should proceed with care, and call for backup if necessary. Discovering their intentions and preventing any trouble they have planned is what I'm tasking you with. If capture is possible, that would be a bonus.

Naruto frowned thoughtfully. "Will I have any teammates for this mission?"

"Just one. A squad of three is too noticeable in a village, even with diguises."

"Who will it be?"

Tsunade stared seriously at him. "I want you to pick whoever you think is most suited to accompany you."

Naruto looked up in surprise. "Why do I get to pick?"

Tsunade maintained her serious tone. "A number of reasons. Firstly, you are almost of Jounin rank. The only thing standing between you and that title is the Jounin exams which I am fairly confident you would pass. Despite being chuunin you haven't had many opportunities to lead a squad of your own. Once you become Jounin your leadership responsibilities will only increase. I want you to be prepared when that time comes. Choosing teammates for an assignment is often part of a squad leader's job. You must gain practice at balancing the strengths and weaknesses of a team and choosing shinobi most suited to each particular mission."

Naruto paused consideringly, then nodded in agreement. "That makes sense." He paused again. "You said 'firstly'. What's the other reason?"

Tsunade smiled. Time was Naruto wouldn't have been able to focus for this long, let alone pay attention to phrasing. _The little brat has grown_ , Tsunade thought with a touch of pride. _It's high time he started leading squads of his own._

"The other reason is, this mission relies on inconspicuousness. The story will be that you're travelling to the village for the 'Gensooteki no Tsuya'; a festival native to that region and which that particular village is famous for.

Naruto cocked is head in confusion. "I don't get it."

Tsunade smiled, a touch of humour in her eyes. "The Gensooteki no Tsuya is a festival for couples. You will need to bring someone you get along well with."

Naruto's breath caught in surprise. "C-couples?!" He backed up a step, eyes wide and mouth gaping. Tsunade rolled her eyes at Naruto's reaction.

 _He may have grown, but some things never change. "_ Yes Naruto, couples. The better you get along with your teammate the more convincing it will be. I assume you will bring a Kunoichi. Though, of course, if your preferences swing the other way, a fellow Shinobi would also be acceptable." Tsunade smiled slyly. She had made that last comment to get a reaction out of Naruto. The kid was entertaining to mess with. She wasn't dissapointed, as Naruto began to make vulgar choking sounds, face beet red at her insinuations.

"A fellow kunoichi will do just fine! Jeez, where did that come from?" Tsunade continued to watch Naruto, entertained by his response. "Well, you've never been in a serious relationship, and I've known you since you were a little brat."

"Were you blind to the passes I made at Sakura?!"

Tsunade shrugged with another smile. "They never went anywhere and boys have been known to do that to cover their real preference."

Naruto started sputtering again. Tsunade, now grinning, decided she'd been entertained enough.

"The point is, if you want to be convincing, think about which Kunoichi you could pull this act off with."

Naruto stared at her, still wide-eyed.

"You're dismissed. Read through this mission report and come back if you have any further questions. You have 3 days to prepare, assemble your team and move out."

Naruto nodded dumbly at her, picked up the report and walked out.

Tsunade stared after him in concern. She hadn't overdone it, had she? The gay joke had just been her little bit of fun. No.. that wasn't it. He'd left the room looking preoccupied, as though something heavy was weighing on his mind. The brat couldn't have gotten himself a girl? Come to think of it, he had been spending more time with the Hyuuga woman lately. Tsunade smiled slyly, before returning her attention to the piles of paperwork on her desk. This new development could prove interesting...


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto walked the streets of Konoha, deep in thought. Dusk was beginning to fall over the village. The teammate for his mission was really a no-brainer. Hinata was an expert at tracking and her Hyuuga eyes would be perfect for spying on the enemy. Not to mention the...other, issue. "Ahhh!" Naruto grumbled in frustration as his hands dug through his hair. He didn't know how he felt about the whole situation. Hinata was his best friend. Besides Sasuke, he couldn't think of anyone he cared about more. He didn't want to mess this up. Turning the corner, he didn't notice a certain pink-haired kunoichi until he stumbled into her. "Wha- Naruto, watch where you're going!" Blinking up in surprise, Naruto stared at Sakura in confusion. "Huh?"

Sakura stared him down with one of her evil eyes. "I said, watch where you're going. You almost knocked me over."

Naruto shrank back, instinctively responding to the clenched fists that had dealt him much pain in the past.

"Ah-ha-ha. S-sorry Sakura. I didn't see you there."

Sakura's fiery eyes died down somewhat as she observed him. While Naruto was responding to her anger as normal, his response had been slower than usual.

"That's ok, just don't get lost in your thoughts next time. What's up? Something bothering you?"

Naruto looked away self-consciously. "Oh, um, no. Why do you ask?"

"Because you're walking around with a spaced-out look on your face, and it took you longer than usual to respond to my fists." Sakura smiled sardonically.

Naruto continued avoiding her eyes, grasping for some sort of excuse.

Sakura was having none of it. "Oh come on! You can tell me." She slung her arm around his shoulders roughly. "You're not even meeting my eyes. Clearly something's wrong." Having stumbled slightly with Sakura's arm, Naruto now found himself facing two very determined green eyes. Staring back, he noticed a touch of concern in them. She was genuinely worried about him. Sighing in defeat, Naruto lead the way to Ichiraku's ramen store. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*#*time-skip*#*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The usual, Naruto?" Asked Teuchi with a smile.

"You know it." Naruto grinned in response. Nothing cheered him up better than a bowl of Ichiraku's ramen.

"And anything for the lovely lady?"

Sakura blushed slightly in response. "Juice will be fine. Thanks."

Settling down in their seats, Sakura turned to Naruto expectantly. Naruto, once again nervous, fidgeted slightly under her stare.

"Well that's a change. I haven't seen you this unsure of yourself, well, ever." Sakura's expression grew worried. "Hey, don't worry so much, just tell me what's on your mind."

"I-I don't know."

"You don't know what?"

"What's bothering me so much!" Naruto exclaimed, his growing frustration beginning to leak through.

Leaning forward on the counter, he rested his head on his arms; his hard gaze focused on the opposite wall.

Sakura looked at him perplexedly.

"Well, why don't you start at the beginning? Just start talking and it'll come to you."

Naruto glanced at Sakura gratefully. The kunoichi acted like she didn't care, but it was times like these when Naruto appreciated her friendship.

"Well..." Naruto started uncertainly. "It all started when Hinata and I began spending more time with each other. Before I knew it, I'd found another close friend." Naruto's gazed shifted to the side, uncertainty in his expression. "And now I found out that all this time she...well..."

"Loved you?" Sakura provided with a smile. "Well, it took you long enough to realise."

Naruto stared at her wide eyed. "You knew?"

Sakura smiled sardonically. "Naruto, only the densest shinobi in the village could have missed her feelings. Unfortunately for her, that shinobi happened to be you."

Naruto folded his arms crossly. "Well, how was I supposed to know? Women's feelings are so hard to figure out, and then we became friends and I started loving her too and..." Naruto suddenly stopped, wide-eyed.

Sakura smiled smugly. "Men's feelings can be even more confusing. Mostly because they don't even know what their feelings are."

"R-right..." Naruto replied, shaken.

Sakura took pity on the poor boy. "Ok, so you love her and she loves you. Seems pretty peachy to me. I don't see what could be bothering you so much."

Naruto's gaze slid sideways. "Well...what if I mess things up?" Sakura could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "I don't want to accidentally hurt her. What if I took things too fast? Or, or too slow?" Sakura watched as Naruto's expression become more and more stressed. "I've never been in a serious relationship before. I don't know the first thing about it!"

Sakura couldnt help chuckling in amusement, a response Naruto wasn't prepared for.

"Why are you laughing?!" At that, Sakura started giggling unreservedly.

"Sakuraaaa." Naruto started pouting.

Sakura's giggles eventually died out. "C-Could this be the same Naruto? That overconfident boy who fought Gaara during Orochimaru's attack? That showed Neji who was boss? It's funny that that same boy could be shaken up at the thought of a serious relationship!"

Naruto's pout deepened. "Yeah, well, this is different, okay?"

Sakura continued to grin teasingly. "I'll say. But here's something to think about: Could you and Hinata ever hate each other?"

The response was instantaneous. "NO! Of course not!"

"Then what do you have to worry about? If things don't work out, you can just go back to being friends. You won't lose your bond with her." Sakura's smile was now understanding. "I know how important friendships are to you, Naruto. You'd never let anything happen to your friendship with Hinata."

Naruto's expression suddenly darkened. "Well...I couldn't stop Sasuke from leaving."

Sakura's eyes hardened. "Don't say that! Hinata is different to him. You know that. And even if she had darkness in her heart, you've got enough experience now to handle that. I believe in you, Naruto."

Naruto looked at Sakura appreciatively. When had his teammate gotten so wise?

Sakura answered the unspoken question in his eyes. "I learnt that from you, dummy." Her voice was soft and her smile affectionate. "You've always believed in yourself. I don't see any reason to stop now."

Naruto's reply was interrupted by Teuchi's appearance. "Ah! Sorry, seems like you're having a serious conversation. I'm just here to serve the food." Teuchi's eyes twinkled knowingly as he served ramen and juice, before returning to the back of the store.

Naruto shook his head, smiling. "The old man pretends he doesn't know what's going on, but I bet he's jumping up and down with Ayame right now; excited about my new relationship." Naruto's grin had turned rueful.

"I'm happy for you too, Naruto."

For the second time that evening, Naruto was suprised by his teammate.

"Huh? Why?" Sakura's eyes stared out into the darkness, contemplatively.

"You're starting a new chapter in your life; one I haven't begun yet. Ever since Sasuke left I've immersed myself in training, not thinking about much else. I worried you'd do the same. Hypocritical, I know." Smiling at the surprise on her teammates face, she continued. "Seeing you and Hinata-chan together makes me happy because it shows you're forming new bonds, despite what happened with Sasuke. Now you're even thinking about the person you want by your side forever." As she spoke, Sakura's expression filled with emotion. Naruto had never seen her look so sincere. "Ganbatte, Naruto-kun. You never gave up on your dreams or the people most important to you. I-I...want to follow your example. I want to move forward too." Naruto's heart went out to Sakura. He could see how much strength it had taken her to say those words. How could he have any doubts when his friend looked at him like that?

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto's hand now pressed warmly on the kunoichi's shoulder. "I never knew you could have a way with words. Sakura-chan mo ganbatte. I know you can do it. After all, you were the one who helped me." Sakura looked at him in surprise. Naruto chuckled self-consciously. "The bonds I kept with you and my other friends helped me a lot in moving forward. We strengthen each other. So if you want to move forward too, I'll make sure I'm there to give you a hand." Naruto smiled at Sakura encouragingly.

"Thanks, Naruto-kun..." Sakura's eyes shone with gratitude. The blonde had grown a lot since his genin days. Her hand began fiddling with the straw in her juice, while Naruto dug into his ramen. She could have almost fallen for the sunshine-bright shinobi, almost... Sakura shook her head at her own folly. Those feelings weren't something she was going to encourage. If there was one thing her experience with Sasuke had taught her, it was that the heart had an endless capacity for love. Her feelings for the blonde didn't necessarily mean she had to romantically act on them.


End file.
